Kupang (ANTARA) - The government envisions the Red and White Village Cooperatives program as a strategic means to boost Indonesian farmers' incomes and shield them from predatory middlemen, Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan stated.
“The village cooperative program is aimed at combating middlemen in villages,” he affirmed during a review of a Red and White Village Cooperative in East Penfui Village, Kupang District, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, on Friday.
Highlighting the program’s significance, he noted that predatory middlemen often exploit rural, economically vulnerable farmers by offering fertilizers in exchange for an unfair share of their harvests.
Accompanied by NTT Governor Melki Laka Lena, the minister highlighted that cooperatives established under the national program offer more than just savings and loan services, as they serve as productive, one-stop business entities distributing food products, fertilizers, and staple commodities.
Hasan cited the Penfui Village cooperative as a strong example, mentioning that it eases residents’ access to affordable agricultural products, fertilizers, and rice, among other essential goods.
He then underlined that the government had recognized Red and White Village Cooperatives as legitimate distributors of fertilizers. With this in mind, he urged local leaders to promptly address any disruptions in fertilizer distribution, recommending consultation with the state-run fertilizer company PT Pupuk Indonesia.
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“If that is insufficient, you can directly report the issue to me,” he told regional leaders.
President Prabowo Subianto officially launched around 80 thousand village cooperatives nationwide in Klaten District, Central Java, on July 21. However, not all have yet started operating as business entities.
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Among these 80 thousand cooperatives, the government has designated 108 as pilot models for the initial phase of the program’s implementation. These are intended to set benchmarks for other cooperatives preparing to commence operations.
On July 29, Minister Hasan stated that the government aims for at least 10 thousand cooperatives to be operational by August. To support this goal, he said the government had been conducting visits to regions across the country to review cooperatives’ readiness and to facilitate the establishment of relevant task forces in all districts and cities.
